Here’s how to replace your exterior doors
Are you looking at replacing your worn-out door with trepidation? Fret not; one does not need to be a master craftsman to be able to replace it. Replacement doors come in prehung kits, which make it easy for installation. It saves time, money and improves the exterior of your home. There are three types of exterior doors to choose from. Steel doors are inexpensive and require little maintenance. The fiberglass ones won’t warp or rot and are good to look at.
Wooden doors look regal but need a lot of care. Here is a brief guide to replacing your dilapidated exterior doors.
- Order a good quality prehung door, which could either be in fiberglass, steel or crisp detailing of wood, depending on what matches the exterior of your home.
- Ensure that the door you order is the same size as your existing door. Otherwise, it will lead to many alterations.
When measuring your existing door, take four sets of measurements for the door size, jamb width, rough opening, and, exterior opening. - Remove the old door using basic carpentry tools. If you intend to reuse the interior moldings, then be careful about not damaging the face.
- Post removing the door, check the framing and subflooring in the sill area. Replace any rotten or damaged area. Set the sill height if needed, while taking steps to protect it from water intrusion.
- Set the new exterior doors in the opening for a test fit. Check to see how the casing fits against the sidings.
- Take the door out and give a trimming to siding or casing as the need be.
- Fit the door again into the opening after applying caulk along the sill, behind the casing.
- Nail and screw only when you are happy with the fit and smooth opening of the door.
- Fill the remaining space between the door jamb and framing with foam insulation.
- Paint or stain and varnish the door, jamb, and trim.
Most of the prehung exterior doors work well for newly constructed walls and new homes. But after measurement, if you discover that you need a different size than what is readily available, it is advisable to order one for your exact specifications.
Disclaimer:
The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.
